The United Nations is turning to IT as a key part of its attempts to help build a government administration for war torn Afghanistan, according to reports on 10 November 2003. The country may be far from stability, is facing bitter divisions over its constitution, and is ravaged by ongoing warlord violence but the chaos is not deterring the UN from trying to introduce e-government.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a new project to train 1,800 people in basic computer skills, with a particular focus on civil service and local government staff.
Afghanistan's basic infrastructure is barely working, struggling to provide electricity in Kabul for barely a few hours a day, but according to reports, a basic wireless network has been created allowing the introduction of internet technology.
The organisation is working to introduce internet and email to Afghanistan's public bodies, linking up provincial capitals with Kabul. The press in neighbouring Pakistan has hailed the development as the "birth of Afghan e-government".
The move comes alongside efforts to rebuild the Afghan civil service with a UNDP "interim administration fund" -- which includes an initial budget of just $200,000 -- financing back office repairs and the creation of new infrastructure. Several IT companies are moving in to win contracts under the programme. Cisco has already established an "academy" at Kabul University for IT training.
It comes as little surprise to hear that Microsoft is in on the act, however.
"We start with a package of MS Office training," Mahmood Zahir, IT programme assistant for the UNDP, was reported in the Pakistan Tribune as saying.
"We teach our students an introduction to computers - Windows XP and then Word, Excel, Powerpoint and an introduction to the internet. We also teach an introduction to the paperless office."
Quelle: Kablenet, 10.11.2003
